‘Lanterns’ Draws Huge Global Audience as HBO’s Season 2 Silence Grows

Superhero television has faced a tumultuous few years, leading to a pressing question for each new series: will it attract viewers? DC Studios put ‘Lanterns’ to the test on HBO, featuring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan alongside Aaron Pierre as John Stewart in a gritty mystery rather than a flashy space opera. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, the eight-episode series has been airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max.

Initially, the viewership numbers were closely monitored. The premiere attracted 9.3 million viewers globally, while Episode 3 surged to 10 million, marking the series’ highest global viewership. The show also made it to Nielsen’s streaming Top 10 on its third attempt, landing at No. 8 with 500 million minutes watched, and maintained that position for a second week with 525 million.

As the season approaches its finale, new data has emerged. ‘Lanterns’ is now averaging nearly 19 million viewers per episode worldwide, according to Variety, which reported on the show’s seventh episode.

The report indicates that Episode 7 garnered 7 million U.S. viewers within its first three days. This figure combines Nielsen’s measurement of linear viewers on HBO’s cable channel with streams on HBO Max. The series averages over 12 million viewers per episode in the U.S., a number that rises to nearly 19 million when international views are included.

The seventh episode also matched the show’s U.S. high, equaling the 7 million viewers that Episode 3 attracted in August. The series continues to draw in new audiences, with 1.5 million new viewers tuning in for the premiere within the last week alone. HBO has yet to provide a worldwide total for Episode 7, unlike its earlier announcements.

Variety suggested that these averages are likely to keep increasing. It referenced ‘It: Welcome to Derry’, which had 6.5 million U.S. viewers in three days for its most-watched episode, slightly fewer than ‘Lanterns’ latest figures, and later achieved a global average of 19.7 million.

The most relevant comparison is with HBO’s previous DC series. Variety notes that ‘The Penguin’ concluded its run with an average of over 27 million viewers per episode in 2024. This places ‘Lanterns’ significantly below that figure, although the final numbers will not be confirmed until the finale airs.

Supporters of the show argue a different narrative. Bleeding Cool described ‘Lanterns’ as both a critical and viewership success for HBO and DC Studios, despite facing social media trolling and review-bombing. Cosmic Book News highlighted that HBO has labeled it the biggest DC launch in HBO Max history.

Despite the strong viewership, there is still no official announcement regarding a second season. HBO has not renewed ‘Lanterns’, although the creative team has already begun a writers’ room to explore potential storylines. Cosmic Book News reported that HBO chief Casey Bloys stated no ‘Lanterns’ Season 2 is currently in development, while The Ankler has indicated that a renewal is not imminent, with showrunners drafting pitch pages for HBO’s consideration.

Fans received a boost when James Gunn confirmed that the finale on October 4 is a season finale, not a series finale. However, this did not equate to a renewal, and Cosmic Book News noted that no one at HBO has confirmed a continuation. Co-creator Damon Lindelof mentioned that a second season would depend on the show’s success.

There are indications that the character will persist in the DC Universe regardless. Aaron Pierre is expected to reprise his role as John Stewart in Gunn’s upcoming Superman sequel, ‘Man of Tomorrow’.

The trailer for the final episode of ‘LANTERNS’ has arrived!

Premieres October 4 on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/N9zTdjrQnY

— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) September 28, 2026

The Season 1 finale, titled “Dirt and Stars,” airs Sunday, October 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max. This finale will provide HBO with its final set of numbers for the season, and those figures are likely to influence the renewal discussions. With the global average already nearing 19 million and still increasing, ‘Lanterns’ enters its final episode in a stronger position than its slow start suggested.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!